Cliff Richard turns to jazz to mark 70th birthday

British singer Cliff Richard poses for photographers with his band "Cliff Richard and The Shadows" before meeting fans at a music store in London November 30, 2009. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor

LONDON (Reuters) - Veteran British singer Cliff Richard will mark his 70th birthday with the release of an album of jazz and swing music, he announced on Tuesday.

The evergreen performer, a chart topper before the Beatles arrived who has sold an estimated 250 million records over more than 50 years, will sing covers of classics including “Let’s Fall in Love” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.”

The 12-track album “Bold as Brass” will be released by EMI Records on October 11, three days before Richard’s 70th birthday.

“With the incredible creative input of seasoned American producer Michael Omartian, and the live sound of Nashville’s best swing musicians, Bold as Brass is an album I’ve planned and dreamt about for years,” Richard said in a statement.

“It’s been a long time coming, but what better way to mark my 7Oth birthday than to celebrate a genre of music which is both timeless and sheer class.” Richard will also perform six concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London in October.